By: Dawn Zoldi
States across America have charted a new course for advanced air mobility (AAM), where regional collaboration drives both innovation and harmonization in the skies through NASAO’s (The National Association of State Aviation Officials) Multistate Collaborative. From statehouses to city councils, and regional airport boards to federal advisory tables, this group is creating a model for how local expertise can drive national strategy for AAM. At the recent Tennessee Drone and AAM Summit, leaders from the Collaborative showcased how 38 states (and counting) continue to set the stage for the future of aviation technology, policy and infrastructure.
The Power of State Partnerships in Advanced Air Mobility
As AAM vehicles begin to cross state borders and urban boundaries, the need for standardized processes and seamless operations becomes paramount. The NASAO AAM Multistate Collaborative consists of a unique group of stakeholders working to ensure America’s air mobility future remains safe, interoperable and economically viable.
The effort began with just a handful of policy shapers, infrastructure strategists and technology pioneers. One of them, industry advocate John Eberhart, Managing Director ATA Aviation, acted as panel moderator. “The NASAO Multistate Collaborative began as a small, grassroots effort among a handful of states,” he explained. “Today, we’re seeing the emergence of an entirely new category of aircraft with unique designs and alternative fuel types. Our collective mission has expanded to ensure that every operator receives coordinated support, from statewide policy and infrastructure to essential services, so that advanced air mobility can thrive across the nation.”
The Collaborative’s deliberate, consensus-based approach demonstrates that state agencies, armed with practical knowledge and a willingness to innovate, can lead the harmonization that will help unlock the next era of aviation. Its three primary goals, interoperability, sustainable funding models and effective feedback to the FAA, have already started to shape how states approach everything from charging infrastructure to regulatory guidance. Its
Harmonizing Policy: States as the Bridge
Robin Grace, Chief of AAM Integration and Strategy at MassDot emphasized the essential role of states in harmonizing policy and bridging gaps between federal, local and industry stakeholders. States administer airport programs, manage aviation system planning and shape land-use policies, all critical as AAM networks grow. “These vehicles aren’t just going to take off and land in our own states,” she said. “There really should be a consistent set of policies to ensure interstate commerce and movement of people and goods.”
To facilitate this, the group has written and published several consensus-driven topic papers. They address practical challenges, like integrating AAM into transportation plans, aligning land-use with emerging mobility needs and facilitating model policy frameworks for replication.
Grace emphasized that this effort is “not about hiring consultants to write our future for us. The states wrote this. This is really the voice of the states coming out in each one of these papers.” (Access the papers here).
Infrastructure and the Challenge of Funding the Future
Sergio Roman, the Director of Emerging Aviation Technology at TxDOT, highlighted the traditional funding dilemmas for AAM infrastructure. “We’re pretty much at a crossroads now where the typical method of funding is just structurally incapable of supporting new infrastructure,” he stressed. He drew parallels with the evolution of EV charging and the limitations of gas tax-based models, public benefit constraints, ROI requirements for taxpayers and the reality that public entities rarely build for the mere potentiality of future demand.
Roman explained the difficulty. “We can’t use public funds on speculative ideas of what is or isn’t going to be successful,” he said. This is why there’s a big burden on the private side to fund AAM. He called for administrative reform and stable funding, noting, “We have a proven track record of building infrastructure. Just give us the money set of standards, and we’ll build it…absolutely.”
To help find common ground, the Collaborative encourages models that blend federal, state and local dollars with emerging public-private partnerships. This approach has proven successful in projects such as Massachusetts’ inclusion of charging infrastructure in its long-range transportation plans.
Model Policies and Real-World Solutions
Each state’s experience adds value to a growing national handbook for AAM implementation. For example, Grace described Massachusetts’ progress. “We had some visionaries back in 2016, 2017… Making sure aviation technologies made it into our state Long-Range Transportation Planning document, which is called Beyond Mobility 2050.” Massachusetts now has multiple airports with operational charging stations, thanks to coordinated efforts among airfields, energy agencies and public-private partnerships. Grace explained that any future charger that needs to be added in the future will be consistent with the state’s plan.
John-Paul (JP) Saalwaechter, Director of Aeronautics for the Tennessee DOT (TDOT) stressed the importance of building consensus while also remaining flexible in terms of tailored approaches. He noted, “We want to get some model policies out there that people can use….States can decide what’s going to be best for them.” States also need better tools to engage metropolitan planning organizations and provide guidance at the local level, he said. This will ensure AAM systems aren’t left with “airports that connect to nowhere.”
Chris Arnette lent his perspective as a Programs & Planning Staff Engineer for the North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) Division of Aviation. He emphasized the value of strategic planning and the contributions of the Collaborative towards that. “From the infrastructure perspective, we had a nice working group. The premise was, ‘What is a target level minimum service for infrastructure?’… “ This generated a set of common aspirational minimum service levels that the team all agreed to, at the state level. This is important, he said, so “that industry can be comfortable when crossing state lines.”
States Continuing to Lead the Charge
As the Collaborative looks to 2026 and beyond, participants recognize the importance of continually sharing lessons learned, amplifying the “voice of the states” and driving harmonization nationwide. With clear momentum toward model policies, replicable infrastructure planning and policy frameworks that both respect local needs and promote national interoperability, states have become the “bridge” (Grace’s characterization). That bridge is being built not by outsourcing expertise, but by fostering volunteer leadership, sharing best practices and leaning into a “rip off and duplicate” mentality, where good ideas can be shared… and quickly scaled. With continued momentum, partnership and open dialogue across all states, “The States Setting the Pace for Advanced Air Mobility” isn’t just a title for a summit panel; it’s a blueprint for America’s sky-high future.